Stachys plant named ‘Summer Sweets’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of  Stachys  plant named ‘Summer Sweets’, characterized by its compact and upright plant habit; moderately vigorous to vigorous growth habit; medium green-colored leaves; freely flowering habit; dense and relatively long inflorescences with light purplish pink-colored flowers; and good garden performance.

Botanical designation: Stachys officinalis.

Cultivar denomination: ‘SUMMER SWEETS’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Stachys plant, botanically known as Stachys officinalis and hereinafter referred to by the name ‘Summer Sweets’.

The new Stachys plant is a product of a planned breeding program conducted by the Inventors in Lisserbroek, The Netherlands. The objective of the breeding program was to create new compact and freely-flowering Stachys plants with unique and attractive flower colors.

The new Stachys plant originated from a cross-pollination made by the Inventors in June, 2016 in Lisserbroek, The Netherlands, of Stachys officinalis ‘Alba’, not patented, as the female, or seed, parent with Stachys officinalis ‘Rosea’, not patented, as the male, or pollen, parent. The new Stachys plant was discovered and selected by the Inventors as a single plant from within the progeny of the stated cross-pollination in a controlled environment in Lisserbroek, The Netherlands in June, 2017.

Asexual reproduction of the new Stachys plant by divisions in a controlled environment in Lisserbroek, The Netherlands since August, 2017 has shown that the unique features of this new Stachys plant are stable and reproduced true to type in successive generations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Plants of the new Stachys have not been observed under all possible combinations of environmental conditions and cultural practices. The phenotype may vary somewhat with variations in environmental conditions such as temperature and light intensity without, however, any variance in genotype.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined to be the unique characteristics of ‘Summer Sweets’. These characteristics in combination distinguish ‘Summer Sweets’ as a new and distinct Stachys plant:

-   -   1. Compact and upright plant habit.     -   2. Moderately vigorous to vigorous growth habit.     -   3. Medium green-colored leaves.     -   4. Freely flowering habit.     -   5. Dense and relatively long inflorescences with light purplish         pink-colored flowers.     -   6. Good garden performance.

Plants of the new Stachys differ primarily from plants of the female parent, ‘Alba’, in plant habit as plants of the new Stachys are more compact than and shorter than plants of ‘Alba’. In addition, plants of the new Stachys have light purplish pink-colored flowers whereas plants of ‘Alba’ have white-colored flowers.

Plants of the new Stachys differ primarily from plants of the male parent, ‘Rosea’, in plant habit as plants of the new Stachys are more compact than and shorter than plants of ‘Rosea’. In addition, plants of the new Stachys have light purplish pink-colored flowers whereas plants of ‘Rosea’ have darker purple-colored flowers.

Plants of the new Stachys can be compared to plants of Stachys officinalis ‘Ukkie’, not patented. Plants of the new Stachys and ‘Ukkie’ differ primarily in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Stachys have stronger stems than plants of         ‘Ukkie’.     -   2. Plants of the new Stachys have larger leaves than plants of         ‘Ukkie’.     -   3. Plants of the new Stachys have longer inflorescences than         plants of ‘Ukkie’.     -   4. Plants of the new Stachys have light purplish pink-colored         flowers whereas plants of ‘Ukkie’ have lilac purple-colored         flowers.

Plants of the new Stachys can also be compared to plants of Stachys officinalis ‘Pink Cotton Candy’, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 21,436. Plants of the new Stachys and ‘Pink Cotton Candy’ differ primarily in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Stachys are more compact and shorter than         plants of ‘Pink Cotton Candy’.     -   2. Plants of the new Stachys have light purplish pink-colored         flowers whereas plants of ‘Pink Cotton Candy’ have light and         bright pink-colored flowers.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

The accompanying colored photographs illustrate the overall appearance of the new Stachys plant showing the colors as true as it is reasonably possible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type. Colors in the photographs may differ slightly from the color values cited in the detailed botanical description which accurately describe the colors of the new Stachys plant.

The photograph on the first sheet is a side perspective view of typical flowering plant of ‘Summer Sweets’ grown in a container.

The photograph on the second sheet is a close-up view of a typical inflorescence of ‘Summer Sweets’.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The aforementioned photographs and following observations, measurements and values describe plants grown during the summer in 17-cm containers in an outdoor nursery in Lisserbroek, The Netherlands and under cultural practices typical of commercial Stachys production. During the production of the plants, day temperatures ranged from 18° C. to 30° C. and night temperatures ranged from 6° C. to 18° C. Plants were six months old when the photographs and description were taken. In the following description, color references are made to The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart, 2015 Edition, except where general terms of ordinary dictionary significance are used.

-   Botanical classification: Stachys officinalis ‘Summer Sweets’. -   Parentage:     -   -   Female, or seed, parent.—Stachys officinalis ‘Alba’, not             patented.         -   Male, or pollen, parent.—Stachys officinalis ‘Rosea’, not             patented. -   Propagation:     -   -   Type.—By softwood cuttings.         -   Time to initiate roots, summer.—About one month at ambient             temperatures about 25° C.         -   Time to produce a rooted young plant, summer.—About three             months at ambient temperatures about 20° C.         -   Root description.—Fine to medium in thickness, slightly             fibrous; typically greyed white in color, actual color of             the roots is dependent on substrate composition, water             quality, fertilizer type and formulation, substrate             temperature and physiological age of roots.         -   Rooting habit.—Moderately freely branching; medium density. -   Plant description:     -   -   Plant and growth habit.—Herbaceous perennial typically grown             as a garden plant; compact and upright plant habit;             moderately vigorous to vigorous growth habit; moderate             growth rate; freely basal branching habit with about 15             primary basal branches developing per plant.         -   Plant height, soil level to top of foliar plane.—About 23.5             cm.         -   Plant height, soil level to top of floral plane.—About 32.4             cm.         -   Plant width (spread).—About 30.5 cm.         -   Basal branches.—Length: About 19.1 cm. Diameter: About 4 mm.             Internode length: About 7.5 cm. Strength: Strong. Aspect:             Upright to slightly outwardly. Texture and luster: Densely             pubescent; longitudinally ridged; slightly glossy. Color,             developing: Close to 144A to 144B. Color, developed: Close             to 138A and 144A. -   Leaf description:     -   -   Arrangement.—Opposite, simple.         -   Length.—About 7.5 cm.         -   Width.—About 3.2 cm.         -   Shape.—Narrowly ovate.         -   Apex.—Obtuse to broadly acute.         -   Base.—Truncate to hastate.         -   Margin.—Crenate.         -   Texture and luster, upper surface.—Densely pubescent,             moderately rugose; slightly glossy.         -   Texture and luster, lower surface.—Densely pubescent,             moderately rugose; matte.         -   Venation pattern.—Pinnate.         -   Color.—Developing leaves, upper surface: Close to 137A.             Developing leaves, lower surface: Close to 138A. Fully             expanded leaves, upper surface: Close to 137B; venation,             close to 146C. Fully expanded leaves, lower surface: Close             to between 146B and 147B; venation, close to 146D.         -   Petioles.—Length: About 3.3 cm. Diameter, flattened: About             1.5 mm to 2.5 mm. Texture and luster, upper and lower             surfaces: Densely pubescent; moderately glossy. Strength:             Strong. Color, upper and lower surfaces: Close to 144B. -   Flower description:     -   -   Flower type, arrangement and habit.—Single tubular labiate             flowers arranged on dense and relatively long terminal             racemes; flowers sessile; freely flowering habit with about             270 flowers developing per inflorescence and about 4,000             flowers developing per plant during the flowering season;             flowers with an upper lip and a three-lobed lower lip;             flowers face mostly outwardly on the raceme.         -   Natural flowering season.—Plants flower for about ten weeks             during the summer in The Netherlands.         -   Flower longevity on the plant.—Individual flowers last about             one week on the plant; flowers not persistent.         -   Fragrance.—None detected.         -   Flower buds.—Length: About 9 mm. Diameter: About 3.5 mm.             Shape: Oblong. Texture and luster: Densely pubescent; matte.             Color: Close to 145B; distally, close to 146A.         -   Inflorescence height.—About 12 cm.         -   Inflorescence diameter.—About 3.7 cm.         -   Flower diameter.—About 5 mm.         -   Flower length.—About 1.1 cm.         -   Flower throat diameter.—About 2 mm.         -   Flower tube length.—About 9 mm.         -   Flower tube diameter.—About 3 mm.         -   Petals.—Quantity and arrangement: One upper lip and one             three-lobed lower lip; lower 60% of the petals are fused             into a narrow tube. Length, upper lip: About 1.5 cm. Length,             lower lip: About 1.5 cm. Width, upper lip: About 4 mm.             Width, lower lip: About 5 mm. Shape, upper and lower lips:             Oblanceolate. Apex, upper lip: Obtuse. Apex, lower lip:             Broadly emarginate. Margin, upper lip: Entire, not undulate.             Margin, lower lip: Entire, moderately undulate; lateral             lobes curved downward. Texture and luster, upper and lower             lips, inner and outer surfaces: Smooth, glabrous, slightly             velvety; matte. Texture and luster, throat: Smooth,             glabrous; matte. Texture and luster, tube: Densely             pubescent; matte. Color: When opening, upper and lower lips,             inner surface: Close to 73C to 73D. When opening, upper lip,             outer surface: Close to 73C. When opening, lower lip, outer             surface: Close to 73C to 73D. Fully opened, upper lip, inner             surface: Close to 75C; towards the apex, close to 75D. Fully             opened, upper lip, outer surface: Close to 75C. Fully             opened, lower lip, inner surface: Close to 68B and 68C.             Fully opened, lower lip, outer surface: Close to 73C and             73D. Throat: Close to 73D. Tube: Close to between 73C and             75C; towards the base, close to NN155D.         -   Sepals.—Quantity and arrangement: Five, lower 70% fused into             a campanulate calyx. Calyx length: About 7 mm. Calyx             diameter: About 3 mm. Length: About 9 mm. Width: About             1.5 mm. Shape: Narrowly oblong. Apex: Acute. Margin: Entire.             Texture and luster, upper surface: Smooth, glabrous; matte.             Texture and luster, lower surface: Moderately pubescent;             matte. Color: When opening, upper surface: Close to 145B;             distally, close to 143A. When opening, lower surface: Close             to 145B; distally, close to 146A. Fully opened, upper             surface: Close to 143C; distally, close to 143A; at the             apices, close to 69C. Fully opened, lower surface: Close to             138B; proximally, close to 145B; at the apices, close to             69C.         -   Peduncles.—Length: About 9.6 cm. Diameter: About 3 mm.             Aspect: Mostly upright. Strength: Strong. Texture and             luster: Densely pubescent; slightly glossy. Color: Close to             138A and 144A.         -   Reproductive organs.—Stamens: Quantity per flower: Four.             Filament length: About 2 mm to 3 mm. Filament color: Close             to 73D. Anther shape: Narrowly elliptic; dorsifixed. Anther             size: About 0.5 mm by 1 mm. Anther color: Close to 163A.             Pollen amount: Scarce. Pollen color: Close to NN155A.             Pistils: Quantity per flower: One. Pistil length: About             1.1 cm. Stigma diameter: About 1 mm. Stigma shape: Cleft.             Stigma color: Close to 68D. Style length: About 1 cm. Style             color: Close to 68C; proximally, close to NN155D. Ovary             color: Close to 152C.         -   Seeds and fruits.—To date, seed and fruit production have             not been observed on plants of the new Stachys. -   Pathogen & pest resistance: Plants of the new Stachys have not been     observed to be resistant to pathogens and pests common to Stachys     plants. -   Garden performance: Plants of the new Stachys have exhibited good     tolerance to rain, wind and temperatures ranging from about −29° C.     to 35° C. and to be suitable for USDA Hardiness Zones 4 to 9. 

It is claimed:
 1. A new and distinct Stachys plant named ‘Summer Sweets’ as illustrated and described. 